Sen. Chuck Grassley celebrates ‘Meat Monday’

The offices of Republican U.S. Sens. Chuck Grassley of Iowa and John Cornyn of Texas celebrated “Meat Monday” today with a lunch of barbecue beef brisket, ribs, and sausage from Hill Country Barbecue Market in Washington, D.C.

U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa

They were responding to recent reports that a U.S. Department of Agriculture newsletter had encouraged federal employees to participate in “meatless Mondays” by sampling some of the options available in USDA cafeterias. USDA officials quickly retracted the recommendation in response to protests from farm groups, saying it was posted without proper clearance on a USDA website and had been removed.

But Grassley and other Republicans aren’t letting go of the issue.

“This is a reminder to USDA that it’s supposed to advocate for American agriculture, not against it,” Grassley said.

Coryn remarked, “In some of the toughest times they’ve seen in recent memory, Texas cattle ranchers and farmers deserve an administration who works with them, not one who undermines them with boneheaded decisions from bureaucrats in Washington.”

” Sen. Grassley didn’t have meat for breakfast but he had some beef jerky after lunch, for good measure, and he’s planning on a steak tonight. Grassley will be at the pork tent at the Fair, without a doubt,” Kozeny said.

Hill Country Barbecue Market is a popular stop in Washington, D.C., modeling itself on barbeque joints in central Texas by offering meat smoked slowly over Texas post oak and served on butcher paper.